


Animal I Have Become

by Silver_Siren



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Crazy bitches be crazy, Curses for everyone, F/M, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Wolf! Gaius
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-23 02:25:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13180407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Siren/pseuds/Silver_Siren
Summary: He managed to finally force himself onto his feet…. And already, he had a feeling something was wrong.He felt shorter than normal. He stumbled a few times. He felt… off. And it was all very unnerving. But none of this could have prepared him for what he would see upon gazing into the reflective crystals.For staring back at him was a black wolf, with emerald green eyes, a third eye, and many a battle scar. As well as little black leather bands around his ankles and a black leather collar with a little wolf tag.He stared for a good few moments, before daring to lift a forepaw and touch the crystal. He shivered, feeling the cold of the crystal on his paw pad. Yes, this was real.Gaius van Baelsar, (former) Legatus of the Garlean Empire's XIVth Legion, the Black Wolf… had been turned into… well… a black wolf.





	Animal I Have Become

Chapter 1: The Black Wolf

He awoke with a groan…. Though when he listened closer, it sounded more like a canine whimper. He blinked.

 

Wait a minute, wasn't he supposed to be _dead?_ Did he not fall in the Praetorium? What had happened?

 

He decided that, if he wanted answers, he needed to see himself. He was near the reflective Silvertear Lake. He could at least force his weary body to walk a few ilms…

 

He grunted as his first few attempts failed rather miserably. He must've suffered severe wounds, which would make sense. The Adventurers who had aided the Alliance in assaulting the Castrum Meridianum as a whole had been quite ruthless. He was the Legatus; it would make sense that he would take a thorough thrashing. However, he was stubborn, and managed to finally force himself onto his feet…. And already, he had a feeling something was wrong.

 

He felt shorter than normal. He stumbled a few times. He felt… _off._ And it was all very unnerving. But none of this could have prepared him for what he would see upon gazing into the reflective crystals.

 

For staring back at him was a black wolf, with emerald green eyes, a third eye, and many a battle scar. As well as little black leather bands around his ankles and a black leather collar with a little wolf tag.

 

He stared for a good few moments, before daring to lift a forepaw and touch the crystal. He shivered, feeling the cold of the crystal on his paw pad. Yes, this was real.

 

Gaius van Baelsar, (former) Legatus of the Garlean Empire's XIVth Legion, the Black Wolf… had been turned into… well… _a black wolf._ The irony could not be much greater. He huffed, and sat on his haunches.

 

_What to do now? I look like some sort of tamed pet… How humiliating…_

 

“Well, what do we have here? Are you lost?”

 

Gaius turned to see none other than Cid looking at him, with a smile on his face. The traitor reached down and scratched his head… and the former Legatus had to admit, it felt good. He couldn’t resist leaning in, begging for more. It felt so good, the calloused, rough, strong hands brushing through his fur… if he was a cat, he'd no doubt be purring by now. His canine instincts took hold, and he moved over by Cid, laying down over his boots. He eventually fell asleep, content with the sensation of his head being scratched….

* * *

 

He next awoke to the familiar smell of ceruleum, machine oil, a furnace, and metal…. All of which were hitting him much stronger and in much more depth than he remembered… Oh. Right. He was a _wolf_ now. Wolves had a better sense of smell than man. Nonetheless, the scents were somewhat reassuring to him by their familiarity. But with the Praetorium taken down… he must be in Cid’s workshop, he realized. He stretched out, yawning and letting out a distinctly canine sound.

 

“Awake now, are you? Did you enjoy your nap?”

 

Gaius nodded as he stood up. He stretched, letting the sensations help him understand this new form further. He walked on over to a pile of firmly interlocked scrap, climbed up it, and looked around. The two shop hands Cid had were gone… it was just the two of them…

 

“I know it's you, Gaius.”

 

The former Legatus turned and looked at Cid. Of course he would figure out it was him. Cid’s third eye would recognize his aetheric signature, no matter what his exterior form was.

 

“I'd ask how you were turned into a _wolf_ of all things, but one, you can't exactly talk like that, and two, I have an idea anyways.”

 

The former Legatus looked towards Cid.

 

“And when I say idea, I really mean ‘some vague idea that not even the Scions understand how it all works’. To put it bluntly, you were likely cursed.”

 

If there was ever a way to say a wolf had a deadpanning expression, Gaius had it nailed. Cid shrugged his shoulders.

 

“I'm serious. There’s been some vengeful woman around lately, cursing anyone with a third eye, if you get what I mean. The curse forces them to be turned into animals, lose their voices, but retain their normal intellect and mentality. You’re trapped in the body of an animal, unable to do anything but try to get by.” He explained. Gaius laid down to express his distaste. He thought for a moment, looking around… he couldn’t just make motions with his newfound body and noises and hope Cid would understand. Then, he got an idea.

 

He got up, and grabbed a roll of paper with his mouth. Cid initially panicked, but the wolf paid him no heed as he grabbed a pencil. He kicked the roll of paper out a bit, and, pencil in mouth, began to write.

 

 _Will this do?_ He wrote. Cid laughed.

 

“I would expect no less from you, Gaius! Ingenious!” He exclaimed.

 

_Not so loud, Cid! I have a wolf’s hearing now too! I could have heard that halfway across Mor Dhona!_

 

Cid scratched his head awkwardly.

 

“Oh, right. Sorry. Well, anyway… I know Nero’s alive… what about Livia? And what’s his name…”

 

 _The only death I can confirm is Rhytania’s. If Nero is alive, then Livia may very well be alive. Which is most unfortunate, if this woman gets to them first._ He told Cid. The engineer frowned.

 

“You’re right. Finding them will be even more difficult if they’ve already been cursed. I’m trying to think of what animals they would become… I mean, Nero’s a crafty little shite, so maybe a fox…” He trailed.

 

_If Nero would be a fox, then Livia would be a torama or a coeurl. Deadly, swift, vicious hunters who also happen to be somewhat alluring._

 

“Foxes are a bit of a rarity in Eorzea, but coeurls are very common in La Noscea. We'll have to be sure to watch for third eyes on wild animals… strange as that sounds.” Cid decided.

 

_Strange indeed. This woman has yet to come after you?_

 

“Maybe she's giving me a free pass because I've been helping Eorzea? I don't know; I suppose I've just been lucky.” He admitted.

 

_Luck is like the wind. You never know when it will change._

 

“Tell me about it.”

 

Cid sighed.

 

“I guess I'll have to prepare to keep some pets in here.”

 

Gaius growled, annoyed, and eventually settled down underneath a table for a nap.

 

Damn it all to the seventh hell.


End file.
